Kiena awoke with a start. Breathing heavily she looked around her dark room honing in on reality.

“It was just a dream,” she whispered to herself sitting up. Leaning back against the wall, she rubbed her brow. Instant chill shook her, so she grabbed her shawl from beside her and wrapped it snuggly around her shoulders.

Rynn’s eyes were more intense everytime she dreamed of him. That glance at her after she’d blessed him and Acacia. They did not speak at his wedding, though she caught him looking at her. It was a sad, sympathetic sort of look. One that wished her as happy as he felt.

The concept cut at her. To think she did not make him as happy as Acacia did brought fresh tears to Kiena’s eyes.

“What is wrong with me?” Kiena beat her fist into her drawn knee.

Dawn was breaking. Blue and grey began to glow out her window. Her eyes drifted to it and she felt peace glint momentarily lifting her heavy heart.

Tendrils of fog swirled slowly just beyond the glass. Tiny crystals of ice had formed in a brilliant pattern on the bottom half of her circular four-paned window.

Kiena took a deep breath and settled deeper into the warming blankets.

Today the Winter Fae would arrive.

Maybe one of them are meant for me.

The thought caught Kiena off guard. She shook her head hiding her face. Not really sure why she should be embarrassed by her own thoughts when no one else was around.

Perhaps one with crystal blue eyes.

If she was going to entertain the thought, at least she’d make it pleasant.

“And sandy blonde hair,” she concluded the thought aloud. “Who loves winter as much as I do.”

Rynn’s green eyes flashed in her mind again. She curled tighter to fight against the image and the heartache brought with it.

This simply would not do. If Kiena was ever going to recover from her sadness, she had to stand up and just do it.

So Kiena stood. The winter bite reaching to her bones as she fumbled with the flint in her fireplace.

Kiena circled the glen slowly, wrapped in thought. Her eyes mindlessly scanning the flowers she buzzed past, her hair gently whisked at her face. She held an arm behind her back, keeping her toes pointed to the ground while in flight. Instead of watching where she was going the fae started when fur collided with her face.

Grinby, her dearest fox friend barked in surprise.

“Oh, I apologize Grinby.” Kiena spit fur from her mouth, pulling a strand of decent length from her tongue.

“You’ve been quite distracted lately, Kiena,” Grinby chuckled.

“I don’t mean to be.” Her eyes stayed focused beyond the ground, her expression still blank. “I’ve lost all sense of direction since they left.”

They being Rynn and Acacia.

Grinby offered a smile meant to comfort, though foxes rarely can look empathetic beyond their natural pointed scowl. “I know my dear. We all hate to see you like this. Is there anything I can do?”

Kiena shook her head, her black curly tresses bouncing untamed with the motion. Her empty eyes seemed to glisten as she quickly wiped her nose and looked away, “It wouldn’t help anyway, I’m fine.” She sniffed once, smiling to Grinby without cheer.

Grinby nodded slowly, “Well, I was off to the cubs to bring in dinner. If you need anything, you know where to find us.”

“Thank you,” Kiena said trying to appear sincere, though she knew it wasn’t working.

The fox left, and the faerie decided it best to try to head home. Twilight began setting in, early though it was as winter approached. A chilly wind gusted suddenly. Kiena braced herself against it, welcoming the cold. Soon she could shiver and others wouldn’t ask if she were alright.

And why did they ask anyway? What could anyone do about it?

There was more silver lining to be thankful for, she reminded herself. The winter fae would be migrating again, and no doubt they would take attention off of her for a few months so Kiena could finally mend her sullen mood.

Lit mushroom lanterns dotted the tiny village as she made it back to Raven Dell. Some of the fae were out dancing at a festival of sorts near the top of the rocky face. Perhaps it was a birthday for a youngling?

The image brought back the memory of Rynn and Acacia’s wedding. It had been a lovely event. Acacia had been a vision of a bride. Her blonde hair shining like gold to offset her burgundy dress. Rynn had not taken his eyes off her the entire night. He was enchanted with the fae.

Tears blurred Kiena’s vision again and she quickly ducked inside her tiny home.

Her main room looked out into a cleft of the dell where she could watch passersby. Tonight, she did not light the candle on her table, she simply went into her room and stretched out on the bed going instantly to sleep.

At a distance the faerie hovered, peering around the tree she hid behind. A single crystal tear escaped. She flicked it quickly away chiding herself for crying. Promising oneself not to cry is ridiculous, the heart is an untamed imp with a mind of its own.

They took hands. She felt her body shudder as her throat strangled a sob.

It shouldn’t hurt, but it did. Love was a fickle thing.

As their brows touched, and her vision went blurry, Kiena clenched her jaw. Balling a fist, the faerie tried to strengthen her resolve but the tears would not depart on command.

She was just going to have to bless the couple regardless of the trembling sobs overtaking her.

With a deep breath that crackled in her chest, she grit her teeth, and raised a hand.

“May she bring you Light.” A thin flitting of glittery magic swirled toward the couple. “May she bring you joy.” It encircled them, though neither noticed for they could not see the magic Kiena gave them.

“May she fulfill all of your dreams, so that you will never be in want.

“May she bear you children, and raise them in harmony and peace.

“May she never bring you ill-will, or contention.

“May there always be peace within your families.

“May love abound unguarded.

“May she adore you all of her days.”

Kiena couldn’t continue as she pressed into the tree, overwhelmed by her grief. After a long moment crying silently, she finished her blessing in a whisper, “And may her life be free of darkness- though if there is, may it be easy to overcome. For happiness I gift you, and joy, that your days may be full.”

With that, the magic encircling the couple consumed them in a wind.

~*~

Rynn knit his brow glancing around, having felt the effects of the magic. His eyes met Kiena’s one eye that peered from behind the tree. For a moment his heart stopped, as quickly as he blinked, she vanished and he heard her wings buzzing urgently away. A sad smile turned half of his mouth up. He would always have room in his heart for her.

And then his eyes met those of the love of his life. Her eyes glittered like the stars in the heavens, enchanting his entire being. Without another thought of Kiena, he took this lovely creature into his arms, and kissed her as he’d never kissed before.